Mae Marie Jensen Pettis

Mae Marie Jensen Pettis, a cherished soul known for her loving nature and faith-filled life, passed away peacefully on September 28, 2024, at the age of 97.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Monday, October 7, 2024 in the Chapel of the McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will receive friends from 2:00-4:00 PM, Sunday, October 6, 2024 at the funeral home, 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907. Interment will be held at Parkhill Cemetery, 4161 Macon Rd, Columbus, GA 31907 following the services.

Mae was born to Harry and Clara Pralle Jensen on September 14, 1927, in Latimer, Iowa, Mae spent most of her adult life in Columbus, Georgia, where she continued to touch the lives of those around her with her kindness and warmth. Her journey began in the Iowa heartland, where her early years established her prodigious skills as a homemaker and provided the foundation for a life devoted to her family. As a young woman she met and married the love of her life, the late Leroy Pettis, and their subsequent move to Columbus, Georgia, brought new opportunities and joys. Together, they celebrated over five decades of companionship. Their union was a testament to enduring love and mutual respect and was blessed with three beloved children, Sondra, Michael, and Ron.Mae's love for her family knew no bounds, especially in her cherished role as grandmother and great grandmother. She reveled in the joys of family life, her presence at gatherings a source of comfort and happiness. Her family, in particular benefited from her endless love and the wisdom she imparted, and her legacy lives on through their actions and memories.

After raising her family, Mae also dedicated many subsequent years to the Muscogee County School District, where her role as a paraprofessional at Gentian and Reese Road Elementary Schools contributed significantly to the academic and personal growth of countless students. Her patience and gentle guidance left a lasting impact not only on the children she worked with but also on their families and her school colleagues.

Beyond her family and professional life, Mae was a woman of many interests and talents. Her hands were rarely still, as she poured her creativity into sewing, quilting, and other needlecraft. Excelling as a seamstress, her artistic gifts resulted in beautiful, tangible expressions of her inner warmth, often gifted to those she held dear. Mae was a woman of strong and unwavering faith, which guided her through life's many challenges and triumphs, and this was reflected by her active involvement in the Gentian Baptist and Striplin Terrace Methodist Church communities.

In addition to her parents, Mae is preceded in death by her husband Leroy Pettis, daughter Sondra M. Allen, sister Evelyn Johnson, and brothers Harry Lee and Earl Jensen. She is survived by her sons, Michael L. Pettis (Patty Pettis), and Dr. Ronald J. Pettis (Diane Sutter),six grandchildren and six great grandchildren; brother, Bud Jensen and sisters, Laura Christensen, Lois Muhlenbruck and Elaine Plagge.

In lieu of flowers the family welcomes donations to Columbus Hospice, Striplin Terrace Methodist Church, or Gentian Baptist Church.

The family also would love to receive special remembrances, stories and photos of mom on the Tribute Wall.